Need advice from those that know!!

[Ecoman]

After ten years of driving, fixing and swearing at Land Rovers I have finally come to the conclusion that Japanese is the way to go.
I seem to have taken a liking to the Hilux Surf Diesel, and this is where I need the help of those that know!! Here goes with the twenty questions!:

1, Have I made the right decision??
2, Is there anything I should watch out for when going out to test drive and check over?
3, I have heard that the 2.4 has overheating/ cylinder head problems which was eliminated with the 3 litre is this true?
4, What is parts availability like with the surf?
5, I haven't decided auto or manual transmission yet any pointers as to the most reliable or is one as good as the other?
6, What should I expect to get MPG wise?

OK...OK...I know it was only 6 questions but I did a mojor piece of editing!!
I would also like to hear from anyone who ownes/ works in a garage that has Surfs for sale that you can tept me with!!
Any help would be very appreciated.
Bill

[stormforce]

1, Have I made the right decision??
yes yes yes
2, Is there anything I should watch out for when going out to test drive and check over?
just make sure everything is in good working order and test the 4wd out on loose or muddy ground to make sure it en/disengages proper,and there are no unusual knocks etc
3, I have heard that the 2.4 has overheating/ cylinder head problems which was eliminated with the 3 litre is this true?
the 3l can go as the same as any motor but you shouldn't really have any probs with as long as you do regualr serves and make sure you have the correct coolant
4, What is parts availability like with the surf?
www.milneroffroad.com and www.toyotahilux.com and also www.4x4toys.co.uk are also very helpfull
5, I haven't decided auto or manual transmission yet any pointers as to the most reliable or is one as good as the other?
i havent driven a manual surf yet but the auto is the 1st auto i ever drove and wont go back
6, What should I expect to get MPG wise?
20-25mpg

OK...OK...I know it was only 6 questions but I did a mojor piece of editing!!
I would also like to hear from anyone who ownes/ works in a garage that has Surfs for sale that you can tept me with!!
Any help would be very appreciated.
http://www.hiluxsurf.co.uk/members_p...evo/index.html
Stevo has a 3l for sale in the for sale section

Hi and welcome to surfdom

[surfenstein]

After ten years of driving, fixing and swearing at Land Rovers I have finally come to the conclusion that Japanese is the way to go.
I seem to have taken a liking to the Hilux Surf Diesel, and this is where I need the help of those that know!! Here goes with the twenty questions!:

1, Have I made the right decision??
there is no decision,toyota is the best 4x4xfar.
2, Is there anything I should watch out for when going out to test drive and check over?
the surf grin.
3, I have heard that the 2.4 has overheating/ cylinder head problems which was eliminated with the 3 litre is this true?
what vehicle doesnt have an overheat problem in its lifetime.4, What is parts availability like with the surf?
you shouldnt need many parts. hardly anything ever goes wrong with them5, I haven't decided auto or manual transmission yet any pointers as to the most reliable or is one as good as the other?
ther both as good as each other.depends if your lazy or not.(me im lazy).
6, What should I expect to get MPG wise?
does it really matter when your driving the best vehicle you will ever drive.OK...OK...I know it was only 6 questions but I did a mojor piece of editing!!
I would also like to hear from anyone who ownes/ works in a garage that has Surfs for sale that you can tept me with!!
look in the surfs for sale section of this very fine forum.
Any help would be very appreciated.
Bill

oh and welcome to the surf emporium of pleasure.

[Woodzie]

Have a look around codlords site for more info
http://www.showmesome.info/hilux/info/

And here
http://www.hiluxsurf.eu/

[lclascaris]

After ten years of driving, fixing and swearing at Land Rovers I have finally come to the conclusion that Japanese is the way to go.
Bill

I have owned 5 Land Rovers over the last 12 years, worked for Land Rover & I still sell Land Rover Parts for a living. I got fed up with all the maintenance needed on Land Rovers & that was even having all my parts available to me at cost price.

I started with a Toyota Land Cruiser & now have a 3rd Gen Surf, I would never buy another Land Rover again.

A Toyota Hilux Surf is the FUTURE!!!!

[M35A2]

I've owned 3 Land Rovers in the last 17 years, and I still own two of them. The first was a Land Rover Lightweight that I sold to a mate of mine who owns a Military Vehicle business, he wanted it for a Para Recce motor. The second is a Series 3 LWB 12v GS Soft Top Petrol. That never let me down for the time it was on the road. It's now in the garage awaiting a re-birth. My Land Rover Defender 110 FFR 12/24v TUM Hard Top is an awesome truck. I bought her straight from the RAF at auction with 130,000Kms on the clock in November 1998. She has now done 206,500Kms, passed 9 MOT's in a row (first time) hasn't got a spot of rust on her and is still going strong. Granted, I rebuilt the axles with genuine parts everything, brake callipers/cylinders/pads/shoes/brake pipes/all seals/nuts and bolts etc,etc. But apart from that all I've replaced is a full exhaust system and a battery and I've had the tracking done and a cambelt and tensioner.

In all this time they have never let me down. So I've got nothing but good things to say about them. As long as you stick to a strict preventative maintenance programme they shouldn't let you down!!!

I've owned my Surf since last August and love it to bits. It had 83,000Kms on the clock and came direct from Japan. Since then It's gone up to 115,000Kms and in that time I've had to replace both rear shocks (genuine part sports shocks), brand new radiator, new cambelt and tensioner and starter contacts. The rad and shocks cost me about £530. I service her every 5,000Kms.


All 4X4's are expensive to run. But I love my Land Rovers and my Surf. I couldn't choose between them, so I own both.

The Surf is definitely better when it comes to comfort, speed etc, and the auto box is a diamond.

Expect about 23MPG for the 3.0ltr. Go for the 3.0ltr not the 2.4, more power and less trouble selling it due to the 2.4's head problems. Parts are a piece of pi*s to get, but the truck is much harder to work on than a Land Rover, they are built for Jap hands and as such lots of stuff is a bi*ch to get at.

[Ecoman]

Thanks all for such a speedy response. You have been most helpful and it is very much appreciated.
Don't get me wrong. I have not gone off Land Rovers as I will always have a soft spot for them. But, my girlfriend is expectin our first child and I wont have time for ALL the regular mainainace that Landy's require!! Looks like it will be weekends buried in nappies rather than a bonnet!!
So looks like I'm in the market for a Hilux Surf.
Can't wait to check out this Surf Grin!!!

[M35A2]

Thanks all for such a speedy response. You have been most helpful and it is very much appreciated.
Don't get me wrong. I have not gone off Land Rovers as I will always have a soft spot for them. But, my girlfriend is expectin our first child and I wont have time for ALL the regular mainainace that Landy's require!! Looks like it will be weekends buried in nappies rather than a bonnet!!
So looks like I'm in the market for a Hilux Surf.
Can't wait to check out this Surf Grin!!!

The grin usually happens straight away when you realise on the test drive that the truck goes up to a ton in no time, and the acceleration compaired to a Landy is virtually cosmic.

Just get down to a decent importer and get a test drive. Once bitten, forever smitten and all that jazz.

[plumb bob]

Hi, I own a 2nd gen 2.4td, because I like the shape ( don't like all the plastic on the later models).
Ive had one or two problems,( alternator and crank pulley, rear window motor) and it looks like my head has just cracked (see thread) but the vehicle is 17 years old so I guess you gotta expect stuff to wear out.

I'm pretty philosophical about it all, after all its only money

Mine's a manual box, and I've driven an auto and I'd say the auto has the edge, coz it gets tedius changing gear so often around town, and the auto seems a bit quicker off the mark.

The 3ltr will have more power and better mpg, but thats why they invented nitrous He he he!I used to own a LR series 3 s/w base and it was like driving a tractor ( for 9 months all round France, wish I'd had the surf then)
Hope this helps.

[max6674]

The grin usually happens straight away when you realise on the test drive that the truck goes up to a ton in no time, and the acceleration compaired to a Landy is virtually cosmic.

Depends on the spec of the landy, I dont think you would catch a 3000tdi in any rush (and the heads dont go), or even the old v8's.

The Surf will beat a 2.25 petrol all day long, but age for age and spec for spec the Landy has it I'm sorry to say.

(stands in corner with hands on head)

[dave.j.robbo]

The Surf will beat a 2.25 petrol all day long, but age for age and spec for spec the Landy has it I'm sorry to say.

(stands in corner with hands on head)

Down to the basement with you!!!

[stormforce]

Down to the basement with you!!!

god it's going to be crowded down there b4 long

[max6674]

Sorry, I'm a lover of V8 Brit tanks.. and of course the good old diesel types of Brit tanks..

(still love my Surf though)

[Ecoman]

Drove my first Surfs today and its true what they say about the grin!! Totally smitten with it. Not gonna buy that one tho because it looked like it had been dragged through a hedge backwards!! Plus he was askin way too much.
I also tried out a top spec Nissan Patrol and fell in love with the Leather and all the gadgets but compared to the Surf it feels totally gutless, and it was huge, I took it home and only just fit it onto the driveway!
Went to the bank to liberate cash from the savings (as I've seen the one I want) and they told me I would lose all of this quaters interest if I take it out straight away. If I apply for it it will take two to three weeks.
DAMN YOU RBS!!!!!
Gotta wait....ho hum....tum ti tum....(whistle)........

[TonyN]

Depends on the spec of the landy, I dont think you would catch a 3000tdi in any rush (and the heads dont go),

ahem, may be not the heads, but more damaging......

http://landroverclub.net/Club/HTML/3...iming_belt.htm